Trainers of Legends Extras
by KaithrEchtein
Summary: These are the extras of my big pokemon fanfic work - I'll not be putting up the whole thing, so if you want to read the full story behind these little pieces, go to TrainersofLegends at
1. The first pokemon - Vulpix

I slam the door on the house and run into the ever present snow. I head for the gym, hoping Candice will be there.

"Candice? Candice, it's me!" I call, banging on the door.

"Jay? She's gone home, she figured that there weren't any trainers coming round just now," one of the gym trainers looks around from the side.

"Oh, thanks," I wave and set off, trudging through the snow.

Once I'm in the trees, it's easier to move, as the snow is still heavy on the branches. I follow it through to Candice's house, on the outskirts of the town. Set back onto the woods, so wild pokémon can wander through. Though she's only a few years older than me, she manages to have a house on her own because her mum and dad cruise around the world now , leaving her to look after the gym. Of which she is now the leader.

"Candice?" I step into her back garden, looking around.

She is crouched in the snow, murmuring gently. There are two snorunt by her feet, as well as a couple of swinub. Looking into the tree line, I also see a mamoswine and a glalie. I stop moving, watching. A sneasel darts past, just a blur through the snow.

"Hey, Blue," Candice looks up, finally. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," I walk closer. "Just my mum."

"Oh," she turns back to the pokémon at her feet. "Same old?"

"Yeah. She reckons I should give up waiting and start working in the centre with her."

"Right. Come on over," she beckons.

I step over, crouching down beside the pokémon. One of the swinub investigates my feet, my hands. I pick it up, placing it on my knee. Startled, it jumps off and returns to the mamoswine in the trees.

"Not this time, huh?" I sigh, watching the rest of them go.

"Oh, Blue," Candice sighs as well, pulling me into a hug. "If you're meant for one, they'll come. Come on," she jumps up. "Come inside, have some cake."

I stand up as well. "Nah… I'm gonna wander a bit. I'll see you tomorrow though, yeah?"

She smiles. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. Actually, I'll see you tonight. The Uxie ceremony."

"Oh, of course. I'd almost forgot," I grin, turning back to the trees. "See ya."

I went back into the trees, following the paths aimlessly. The Uxie ceremony was a quiet one, the night before your birthday. A time to reflect on the past year, about knowledge gained and all that jazz. Uxie sometimes appeared, but not always.

"Jay, come on in, I'll show you how to start," before I knew it, I was beside the pokémon centre, my mum at the door.

"Um… I thought I made my thoughts on that clear?" I kept walking, towards the harbour and the ice fields.

"Jay, give it a chance. You've been waiting too long, it's time you got a proper job."

"And when did you stop waiting? When did you stop wandering the fields, waiting for someone to choose you? When did you just give up on a life with pokémon?" I ask, snapping.

"I knew where my place was! I have a life with pokémon, right here! I followed in my mother's footsteps, as you will in mine!"

"Sorry mum, not going to happen. Get Molly for that!" I yell, breaking into a run.

"Jay! Jay Nightingale, get back here!" she yells after me, but makes no attempt to follow, knowing I can easily outrun her.

When I stop, I am in the snowfields, far from Snowpoint, far from the harbour and the trees. I'm still on the paths, so it's easy enough to walk. I stop, breathing heavily for a moment. Then I step off the path into the deeper snow, making my way to where the wild pokémon are.

It's a tradition in Snowpoint, you see. Our first pokémon chooses us up here, it makes the bond stronger. It also makes more sense, when Sandgem – where the professor with the starters lives – is so far away, and it's hard to get to without a pokémon. Normally they're chosen pretty quickly – my sister was ten when Screamer found her. He came in off the market boat, from Hoenn. A loudred. But here I am, fifteen turning sixteen, and still without a pokémon. My mum thinks I should stop looking, that I should just accept it and work in the pokémon centre like her. But then, she never got a pokémon either.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice when the cries started, but when the empoleon called out, I notice finally. An empoleon is rare out here, normally they keep further north than Snowpoint, in the breeding grounds. As I look around for it – imagine getting a fully evolved starter choose me! That would be amazing – there is the first cry again, weaker. I don't recognise it, but know it is weak. The empoleon calls again, sounding urgent.

I pinpoint the sound and jump off the path, wading towards them. The empoleon is calling out every few seconds, and finally I can see them. Well, the empoleon first, a great blue mass wreathed in white snow. It seems to be sheltering something. Slipping round to its side, I gasp out loud, falling to my knees.

A pokémon is lying in the snow before me, a pokémon clearly in a bad shape. I didn't recognise it at first, it's not a pokémon from around here. Gradually I piece it together, the thick red fur – though lighter than the pictures – four split tails – though one is splitting into a fifth – and pointed ears.

"What is a beauty like you doing this far north, huh?" I whisper, picking it up.

It is a vulpix, a fire pokémon, a pokémon not native to this region. And although fire is generally good against ice, this one must have travelled far, and is still – I think – very young. It whimpers slightly, moving in towards the heat of my chest.

"Right. Which way's Snowpoint?" I stand up, still holding it.

The empoleon looks around, then points a flipper.

"Thanks," I say, setting off.

The empoleon follows slowly, as I run. There is a moment's hesitation before I enter the centre, because of the row I'd had with my mum, but the Vulpix paws at my shirt and I push in.

The empoleon follows, but comes no further than the door as I run straight to the desk and vault over, dodging around a few trainers.

They call after e, but I take no notice, hurrying through to the back.

"Mum? Mum, I've got a pokémon, it's in really bad shape," I call out, looking around for her.

"What kind?" she asks, appearing from between some shelves.

"Vulpix," I say, as she leads me to the recovery rooms.

"You're kidding me. a swinub or a snorunt, surely," she laughs, dismissive.

"I think I know my pokémon, mum. Look," I hold it out to her as she turns round to her machines.

"So it is. Ok, on the bed with it."

The bed she motions me to is not much more than just a table with a cover over it. I place the vulpix on the table and watch as mum sets the machine going.

"That recovery is going to take at least the night. We'll leave it just now," she turns to the table, adjusting a few things. "How did you find it?"

I step back, making sure I wasn't in her way. "An empoleon. It found it and called."

As we walk out of the back, I notice the empoleon is still there, and the trainers have dispersed to the small rooms up the stairs. The empoleon, noticing us, came over and stood in front of us.

"Thanks, empoleon," I say. "The vulpix'll be fine. Thanks for showing me where it was. You are free to go."

The empoleon bows slightly, growling as it turns and walks out the door, leaving it swinging.

I turn to my mum. "Can I not stay? Please?"

"No. There's nothing you can do. Go home."

"Oh, fine," I grumble, heading out the door after the empoleon.

It has already disappeared into the snow, and I am left to head home, worrying all the way about the vulpix.

Straight after lunch the next day – at my gran's as usual on my birthday – I go to the poké centre, the first time I've been allowed near it all day. I would've been over first thing, but my mum insisted on tradition. Which I suppose is all right and proper.

So anyway, I run into the pokémon centre shortly after lunch, panting after having to tug a folded bike from my gran's – which is out in the ice fields – all the way to the centre.

"Mum, how's... how's the vulpix?" I wheeze, leaning on the door frame.

"Oh, she's fine – come in, close the door," she is beside the door, waiting.

As soon as I close it she walks to her counter and walks through the door in it. Again, I vault the table rather than following her, getting in the lead.

The empoleon – or, I assume it was the same one – was standing just inside the recovery rooms, waiting as well. I nod to it as my mum walks past, unlocking one of the doors.

"Here you go," she comes back, a chirpy little pokémon by her feet.

It was the vulpix, yes, but it was so radically different. It wasn't staying still much, running around the room. It threw itself up at me, jumping straight from the floor to my arms. I automatically caught it, glad that my reflexes didn't generally need me to guide them. It licked at my face, leaning on my shoulder.

"She's saying thank you, I think," my mum spoke, watching us.

"She shouldn't be thanking me, it was the empoleon that found her," I say, laughing.

The vulpix leaps down from my arms, barking at the empoleon from the floor by its feet. It bowed down, raising a flipper. She yelps, running back to hide behind my feet. I laugh again, stepping over her.

"I think she likes you. A lot," says my mum.

"Yes... I'm going to see the elder," I say. "See ya," I wave, walking out the door.

The vulpix follows me as I pick up the bike from the desk where I left it, and jumps up onto my shoulder as we get outside. The paths in the town are easier – morepeople use them, so they're firmer – and we get to the elder's quite quickly. He has a small house next to the temple, where he spends most of his time.

I knock at the door, leaning the bike against the wall.

"Come in," he calls from inside.

I push open the door, entering into the warm room. I look around as I close the door, trying not to dislodge the vulpix. He was sitting in an armchair by the fire, watfching us. He points to the stool opposite him, and I sit down, the vulpix leaping into my lap.

There is silence for a while, broken only by the crackle of wood in the fire. I look around, realising that this is the first time I've ever been in here.

"What have you come here for, BlueJay Nightingale?" he asks, when I say nothing.

"Oh! Sorry. Um, elder, I was wondering – is this – is this my first pokémon?" I ask, startled.

"Almost undoubtedly. It has chosen you, BlueJay," he leans forward, examining the vulpix. "And has no doubt come from the park, imported for someone's games."

I look down at her. "That's a long way to come."

"Indeed it is, and your bond will be all the stronger for it."

"Thank you, elder," I get up, bowing as I leave, carrying the vulpix – my vulpix.

My vulpix, my chosen pokémon, my starter... I've never heard of anyone getting a fire pokémon for their chosen up here, not when all we get are ice, water and occasionally flying types. But I am glad for it nonetheless, glad that I can go now, glad that I'm not necessarily stuck in Snowpoint my whole life, the only interaction with pokémon to be other peoples.


	2. The second pokemon - Luxray

Luxray

I stretch, shifting slightly in the tree. It's morning, shortly after sunrise. The thing about sleeping outside is that you get woken up very early.

"Come on Vulpix… time to get going," I shake her slightly, reaching out.

She yelps slightly, shifting away. I swing out of the tree, letting Vulpix slip onto my shoulder. Shoving all the stuff back into my bag, I unlock my bike from around the tree and swing onto it.

"I don't think Sandgem is too far away, we should get there today," I say, waiting while she jumps down to the rack.

She barks when she's in position, and I push off, gathering speed as we hit the track. We blur past all the people on the road, slaloming from side to side to avoid them.

We screech to a halt just outside Sandgem, because there are ledges that I'd rather not ride my bike over. Vulpix stays on the bike as I get off and push.

"Hey, lazy," I laugh at her over my shoulder, "Keep an eye out, will you?"

There is a growl from the trees, and something launches itself at Vulpix behind me. I yell, just about dropping my bike. Vulpix yelps, spinning off the rack with this new pokémon ripping into her.

"Vulpix!" I cry, turning round.

I put my bike down carefully, moving forward.

They disentangle themselves, and I see the new pokémon better. A shinx, an electric type.

"Oh, nice... can we try and catch this? I think my aim's probably improved enough," I sort through my bag for a poké ball.

Vulpix growls, darting forward to singe the shinx's tail, the only part she could catch. This one was fast, canny.

It was almost laughing at her, high yips of excitement as it circled round.

"Come on Vulpix, flame it a bit more, then tackle!" I cry, over the sound of the scuffle.

She nods, spinning more flames at it. It jumps as she darts forward. Lands in a tree. She crashes into the tree, trying to dislodge the shinx.

Yowling, it jumps onto her back and they roll over, scuffling on the ground.

"Vulpix, back!" I yell, noticing the Shinx shaking on its legs.

She disentangles just as I throw the poké ball.

It hits off the tree onto the shinx's tail, as it jumps – or tries to – out of the way. And yet it's hit enough, because it draws the shinx struggling inside, shrinking it down in a ray of red light.

The ball shakes violently and Vulpix jumps on top of it, keeping it closed. Finally it stops, and she jumps off.

"Thanks, Vulpix," I smile, stroking her with one hand as I pick up the poké ball in the other.

I sort through my bag for a potion – not exactly the best way to do this, but it'll help until we reach Sandgem – and let the shinx out. It – he – looks confused, shaking his head. I rub the potion into his tail and the various scratches he has. He flinches at first, but then relaxes, as – I presume – he works out that the potion is helping.

Once I'm certain I've done what I can with the potion, I keep stroking it with one hand, keeping the poké ball close in the other.

He sparks with electricity slightly, and Vulpix growls, glaring at him.

"Sh, shh... it's ok," I say softly. "We won't hurt you now, you're with us."

He reacts to my voice, looking up. Then he wriggles free of my hand and darts towards Vulpix.

She snarls again and puffs out, making herself look bigger. He instantly shrinks, belly on the ground. I guess showing that he knows who's boss.

"Ok, Shinx, back into the poké ball for now," I hold it out, still unsure about this technology. It's only the second time it's worked for me, after all.

He looks questioningly at me, and Vulpix moves round to nudge my arm forward, so the button taps Shinx on the head. He seems to grin slightly as the red light envelopes him and shrinks him into the ball.


End file.
